Target game apparatus



y 26, 1964 R. w. CROWLEY I 3,134,594

TARGET GAME APPARATUS 7 Filed Oct. 16, 1961 INV EN TOR.

RAY W. CROWLEY FIG.2 BY

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,134,594 TARGET GAME APPARATUS Ray W. Crowley, 2512 E. 5th, Tulsa, Okla. Filed 0st. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,070 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-405) This invention relates to a game apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a new type of game apparatus adaptable for use indoors or outdoors, over a playing surface or water, utilizing a basketball type ball and including means of requiring increased accuracy in the handling of the ball to score a goal and including means of more equitably equalizing the advantages of the tall player over the short player. 7

The game of basketball, and other similar games, requiring the shooting of a ball through an elevated hoop is an exceedingly popular game in that it requires accuracy in handling and maneuvering the balland in shooting the ball so that it will enter the basket. The present type of basketball goal usually consists of one goal basket profruding vertically from a board. One of such goals is placed at each end of a playing field. The board behind the goal means that any balls which do not enter the basket are rebounded in a restricted area where the taller player has great advantage in recapturing the ball over the shorter player. Such arrangements also require a larger floor area since the goals must be spaced apart sufficiently to require play at each end of the field.

This invention provides a novel game device which utilizes the best aspects of a basketball type goal, but provides means of adding greater variety to the game and in addi tion includes means of requiring greater accuracy for scoring. The game device of this invention provides a basis for a variety of types of games wherein the advantages of the tall player over the short player are minimized and where greater emphasis is placed on the shooting accuracy of the players. In addition, a type of game apparatus is provided which is adaptable for use on or above the surface of swimming pools. The game apparatus of this invention provides a variety of Ways by which the apparatus may be used as a game activity center.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a game apparatus of the basketball type which emphasizes the shooting accuracy of the player and de-emphasizes the height advantage of tall players.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus which is adaptable for use by two teams of various numbers of players wherein the floor space required for the game is approximately one-half of that required for a typical basketball game.

Another object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus adaptable for use on swimming pools.

These and other objects and a better understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the attached drawings of which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the game apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view taken partially in cross-section along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 of the game apparatus of this invention.

Referring first to FIGURE 1, the game apparatus of the invention is indicated generally by the numeral 10. The apparatus includes a large diameter ring base member 12 and a pair of basketball type goal baskets 14A and 14B supported adjacent to each other, and above the ring base 12 and substantially symmetrical about the axis of the ring base 12. Structural brace members 16 extend from the ring base 12 to the goal baskets 14A and 14B to firmly support the goal baskets and the ring base in proper relationship to each other,

3,134,594 Patented May 26, 1 964 Structural members 16 may include supplemental structural ring members 18 intermediate the ring base 12 and the goal baskets 14.

Stretched over structural members 16 and 18 is a net 20. Net 20 is secured in the middle thereof to the goal baskets 14 and secured to the total periphery of ring base 12. As can be seen in FIGURE 2, the configuration of net 20 as applied to the game apparatus 10 is of a substantially frusto-conical shape. Frusto-conical can be said to substantially describe the configuration net 20 takes as it is stretched on the apparatus 10, however, this is not an exact description of the configuration of net 20'due to the use of a pair of goal baskets 14A and 143 which provide a more oval shaped truncated configuration of the net 20 at the top. a

Goal baskets 14A and 14B may be supported at the top of the apparatus by structural members 16 and 18 in a; variety of ways. In FIGURE 1 it is seen that the goal baskets 14A and 14B are supported on a goal structural plate 22. Baskets 14A and 14B may be spaced to be contiguous to each other or may be spaced. a slightdistance apart as is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

This game apparatus may be utilized in a variety of ways and the type of, utilization will determine the type of support the device will require. Three primary types of supports are shown in the drawings, only one of which would be required for any one occasion. If the device is to be used on the surface of a swimming pool, then floats 24 may be spaced at approximately equal intervals around the ring base 12 to provide sufficient buoyancy so that when placed on the surface of the water the ring base 12 remains at substantially the level of the water.

When the device is to be used above the playing surface, whether water or a playingfloor, it may be supported in one of two ways. One method, particularly adaptable if the device is used indoors, includes the use of cables 26 which are affixed at one end to the ring base 12 and extend at the other end to be attached to portions of a building or other means whereby the game apparatus is suspended above the playing area. Although the appa ratus may be suspended by a variety of numbers of cables, at least three will normally be required to give the device sufiicient stability. To provide utmost stability the cables 26 will normally be attached at approximately equal intervals around the circumference of ring base 12.

An alternate means of providing support for the apparatus above a playing area includes a vertical post member 28 as shown in FIGURE 2. Post 28 may be firmly anchored in the ground or other playing area or floor, or may be provided with a platform at the lower end thereof (not shown) so that the device may be readily moved from one position to another, It will be seen that a platform aifixed to the lower end of post 28 to support the game apparatus 10 will not interfere with the play around the apparatus 10 provided the diameter of the support apparatus is less than the diameter of the ring base 12, since the ball in normal play will not ordinarily fall under the apparatus except when a goal is scored.

The use of floats 24, cables 26 or post 28 are examples of means which may be utilized to support the game apparatus 10 for typical types of sporting uses and other support means will suggest themselves.

Goal baskets 14A and 143 may be provided with goal nets 30, as is ordinarily used in a basketball goal, to slow the movement of the ball through the goals and thereby reduce conflicts among the players as to Whether a ball has passed through a goal.

Application It can be seen that the game apparatus 10 of this invention suggests itself to a variety of games. Utilizing the floats 24, the device may be floated on the surface of the co) water of a swimming pool and a type of water polo played. The diameter of ring base 12 may be made sufficiently large that all players must shoot the ball in order to reach the area of the goal baskets 14A and 14B. It can be seen that accuracy is required due to the proximityof positioning of goal baskets 14A and 14B since inaccuracy may easily score a point for the opponent as the ball passes through the wrong basket.

When the apparatus is utilized for playing above a solid floor playing area, either indoors or outdoors, the type of games which may be organized around the apparatus is virtually unlimited. A type of basketball game may be played wherein one goal basket 14A is assigned to one team and another goal basket 14B is assigned to another team. It can be seen that when a ball is tossed by a player toward a basket 14A or 143 which misses, the ball may be deflected away from the apparatus in any direction. This full 360 of deflection adds greatly to the variety of the game as compared to the limited amount of deflection when a ball misses a basket in a typical basketball type game.

Due to the diameter of ring base 12, it can be seen that a player cannot get close under the baskets 14A and 14B to shoot for a goal, but must shoot from a distance, depending upon the accuracy of his shooting rather than his height. Thus, the short player is more nearly on an equal par with the tall player. Likewise, when a shot is made and a goal is missed, the ball may rebound in any direction giving the short, quicker man a substantially equal opportunity to capture a rebound ball compared to a slower, tall man in distinction to the presently used types of game apparatus.

A variation may be made in the type of play organized around the game apparatus 10 of this invention by the installation of a back board (not shown in the drawings), positioned vertically above and between the goal baskets 14A and 14B. Other alterations in the basic concept of the game apparatus of this invention will likewise suggest themselves.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. A game apparatus of the type described adaptable for positioning above a playing area comprising,

a large diameter horizontally positioned ring base member;

a pair of diametrically positioned basketball-type goal baskets horizontally supported and positioned substantially symmetrically adjacent the vertical axis of said ring base and at a distance above said ring base;

structural brace members extending from said ring base member upwardly and inwardly to said pair of goal baskets to support said goal baskets above said ring base member;

a net alfixed to and extending downwardly and outwardly from said goal baskets to said ring base member around the total circumference thereof to form a substantially frusto-conical configuration;

and means to support said game apparatus with respect to said playing area.

2. A game apparatus for a swimming pool, said apparatus adaptable for floating on the surface of the water of said pool, comprising a large diameter horizontally positioned ring base member;

float members aflixed at periodic intervals around said ring base member adapted to buoyantly support said apparatus on the surface of said water of said swimming pool;

a pair of diametrically positioned basketball-type goal baskets horizontally supported and positioned substantially symmetrically adjacent to the vertical axis of said ring base and at a distance above said ring base;

structural brace members extending from said ring base memberupwardly and inwardly to said pair of goal baskets to support said goal baskets above said ring base member;

and a net afiixed to and extending downwardly and outwardly from said goal baskets to said ring base member around the total circumference thereof to form a substantially frusto-conical configuration.

Maisch Ian. 2, 1917 Trumbull Sept. 20, 1938 

1. A GAME APPARATUS OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED ADAPTABLE FOR POSITIONING ABOVE A PLAYING AREA COMPRISING, A LARGE DIAMETER HORIZONTALLY POSITIONED RING BASE MEMBER; A PAIR OF DIAMETRICALLY POSITIONED BASKETBALL-TYPE GOAL BASKETS HORIZONTALLY SUPPORTED AND POSITIONED SUBSTANTIALLY SYMMETRICALLY ADJACENT THE VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID RING BASE AND AT A DISTANCE ABOVE SAID RING BASE; STRUCTURAL BRACE MEMBERS EXTENDING FROM SAID RING BASE MEMBER UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY TO SAID PAIR OF GOAL BASKETS TO SUPPORT SAID GOAL BASKETS ABOVE SAID RING BASE MEMBER; A NET AFFIXED TO AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM SAID GOAL BASKETS TO SAID RING BASE MEMBER AROUND THE TOTAL CIRCUMFERENCE THEREOF TO FORM A SUBSTANTIALLY FRUSTO-CONICAL CONFIGURATION; AND MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID GAME APPARATUS WITH RESPECT TO SAID PLAYING AREA. 